Apparatus and method for fusing earth material in place



Feb. 24, 1942. L. R. AsH'MoRE ,2

APiARATUS AND'METHOD FOR FUSING'EARTH MATERIAL IN PLACE Filed July 51, 1936 FR I L F l lk T I T u 7 m m s V m Feb. 24, 1942. ASHMQRE 2,274,517

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR FUSING EARTH MATERIAL IN PLACE Filed July 51, 1956 3 Sheets-Shet 2 Patented Feb. 24, 1942 OFFICE APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR FUSING EARTH MATERIAL IN PLACE Lee Roy Ashmore, Houston, Tex.

Application July 31, 1936, Serial No. 93,677

9 Claims. (CI. 94-39) This invention relates to apparatus and method for fusing earth material inplace.

It is an object of the invention to provide apparatus for forming roadways, walkways, paving, building structures and the like by the application of heat to earth material while the same is in place where it will remain after it is fused into a hard concentrated state.

As is well known ordinary earth material may be fused or melted so that the isolated particles will coalesce. This is done in the manufacture of brick. Heretofore, however, construction material of this character formed of earth material has been first molded into the desired shape and then placed in a kiln where the necessary heat is applied to cause the material to fuse and the brick or other material so formed are then transported to the place of use. It is a prime object of this invention to provide apparatus whereby the earth material may be fused in place.

It is another object of the invention to provide a novel method which may be carried on by the apparatus herein disclosed or by other suitable apparatus and whereby the construction produced may be produced in permanent state at the place where it is to be used.

With the above and other objects in view the invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation and arrangement of partsand to a novel method, examples 1 of which are given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a transverse sectional view of a roadway in process of construction showing one form of the apparatus taken on the line I --I of Figure 2 and illustrating the method.

Figure 2 shows a fragmentary plan view there- Figure 3 shows an enlarged longitudinal sectional view thereof.

Figure 4 shows a crosssectional view of a completed roadway.

Figure 5 shows a side elevation of the apparatus as applied in use in the erection of a vertical construction such'as a wall of a building ings wherein like numerals of reference desig nate similar parts in each of the figures, the numeral Idesignates a. body of earth material in place where it is to be formed into a permanent roadway or walkway. At each side of the roadway are the channels 2, 2 which'provide retaining; forms for the side margins of the body I. Slidably mounted on these channels 2, are similar channels 3, 3 forming runners as illustrated in Figure 1. The retaining channels 2 and runners 3 are maintained inalignment by the iron stakes 4 arranged on opposite sides thereof and driven a suitable distance into the ground. An oven is mounted on the runners 3 and extends transversely of and is spaced above the material to be formed into the permanent roadway. This oven is formed of. transverse sections 5 of sheet material of suitable thickness and has the depending end skirts 5a. which extend entirely across from runner to runner so 'as to enclose a furnace chamber 51). The adjacent margins 6 of the sections 5 are upturned and bolted together as shown in Figures 2. and 3 and these upturned portions are formed at intervals with fiues 1 leading outwardly from the furnace chamber 51). I

Spaced apart along each section 5 and anchored thereto and depending into the chamber 5b are the downwardly flared hoods 8 whose upper ends are formed tubular and extend above the corresponding section 5. Transverse series of hoods are thus provided and above them are the transverse nozzle pipes I!) having nozzles .II

which extend into the upper ends of the hoods.

Each nozzle pipe II] is connected at one end into a supply pipe 9 whereby fuel, such as natural gas may be supplied to the nozzl pipes. Each nozzle pipe is controlled by the Valve I2. The fuel will be discharged under pressure through the nozzles I I and will be ignited in the chamber 51) and the flame willbe spread by the hoods 8 forming a mass of flame completely covering the earth material I to be fused, the products of combustion passing out through the flues I. I

Underneath the body of earth I to be fused and extending transversely from side to side thereofthere are the fiues I3. These flues may be placed in position previous to placing material I in its final position. Connected into the supply pipe 9 are the nozzles pipes I5 whose free ends are formed into burners I4 which are turned into the corresponding ends of the fiues I3 as shown in Figure 1. These nozzle pipes I5 are controlled by the valves I6 as clearly shown in Figure 1. The upper sides of the fines I3 are formed flat as, shown in Figure 3 to come into contact with a maximum area of the body of earth I to be fused. The fuel will pass through I the nozzle pipes I5 and be ignited, and said fuel being under pressure, the flames will extend throughout the fiues l3 and be discharged at the opposite side of the roadway. A high degree of heat will thus be generated sufficient to completely fuse the mass of earth material I. If desired the material I may have reinforcing rods embedded in it, previous to the fusing process, as illustrated in Figures 1 and l.

The material to be fused may be found alongside the proposed roadway and on account of the accessibility of the material the material cost will be reduced to a minimum.

When the material is fused the heat may be gradually reduced by a suitable control of the valves l2 and Hi to avoid cracking. When-in finished state the body material i will be of the consistency of the ordinary brick, thus forming a very durable, substantial and smooth roadway, walkway or other paved surface. tion of the work has been completed the pipes may be disconnected sufficiently to permit the oven to be slid'along the tracks 2 to complete another section and the fines I3 underneath the completed section may be Withdrawn endwise and the space left by them may be filled with heavy mud the same being forced in under pressure so as to leave a firm foundation. When a completed section has cooled the shoulders of the roadway and side ditches may be formed and brought to the contour illustrated in Figure l, thus completing the work.

For the purpose of employing the method herein disclosed in the construction of vertical walls and the like the apparatus disclosed in Figures 5 and 6 has been designed as illustrative of a type of apparatus that may be used. As shown the numerals ll, ll designate vertical tracks which are spaced the required distance apart and which are preferably formed of channels. The tracks may be suitably anchored together by means of cross tie rods such as l8.

There arethe upper and lower I beams l9, l9 and 2D, whose ends extend into the corresponding channels ll,,ll, in which they are vertically movable. The side walls 2|, 2| of the form are anchored to said I beams by the framework 22 and are spaced apart a distance equal to the thickness of the wall 23 to be formed.

, The upper 'ends of the tracks have the sheaves 24, 24 mounted thereon and suitable cables 25 operate over said sheaves and, at their inner ends, are connected to the frames 22. By suitably manipulating the cables 25 the form may be gradually raised as the building progresses. Suitably secured to and depending from. the frames 22 are the ovens 26, 26 which extend transversely between the tracks H, as shown in Figure 5. These ovens are enclosed excepting at their inner sides which face the wall 23 and contain the oven chambers 21, 21. The inwardly flared hoods B are anchored to the outer walls of the respective chambers and are extended through said walls and are tubular in form. Be-

tween the hoods are the series of flues I leading outwardly from the chambers 21. Associated with each'o-ven there is a supply pipe as 9 and connected into the supply pipe 9 are the nozzle pipes H) which extend transversely of the ovens and have the nozzles I l extending inwardly into the outer ends of the hoods 8. The nozzle pipes I0 may be controlled by the valves l2. Earth material may be delivered in between the forms 2!, 2| as the work progresses through a suitable supply pipe 28. This earth material will preferably be in fluid; plastic state. Fuel will be ad- When a secmitted through the pipes 9 and I0 and nozzles II and will be ignited in the hoods 8. This fuel will be delivered under considerable pressure and the chambers 21 Will be filled with the flame, the spent gases escaping through the flues 1. The material between the oven will be fused and the particles thereof coalesced forming a rigid wall of the nature of brick. The form and the ovens may be gradually moved upwardly, material being meanwhile delivered into the form above and a substantial wall formed from ordinary earth material may thus be formed at small expense, particularly as to the material to be furnished. The other portions of the building structure may be formed in a manner analogous to that hereinabove explained in connection with Figures 5 and 6.

The drawings and description disclose what is now considered to be preferred forms of the invention by way of illustration only, while the broad principle of the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. The method of forming a hard, continuous, monolithic structure from fusible natural earth which comprises placing the earth in permanent position, forming it into the desired final contour, then applying sufficient heat to the posi tioned earth material to fuse the same.

2. The method of forming a permanent construction from fusible natural earth material which comprises the positioning of natural earth material in its intended permanent place, then applying the heat to the upper and under sides of the undisturbed, positioned earth to fuse the same into a hardened rigid permanent structure.

3. The method of producing a hard rigid continuous structure from fusible earth material in its natural state which comprises applying heat to both sides of the material at sufficiently high temperature to cause the entire body of said material to completely fuse into a monolithic structure.

4. The method of forming a rigid surfaced, monolithic trafficway from fusible natural earth material which method comprises locating the material in its final location forming the material into the desired contour, applying heat to both the upper and undersides of the material as so formed and located to cause the same to fuse throughout then gradually cooling the fused material.

5. Apparatus of the character described comprising an artificial movable form for contain- 7 ing fusible earth material, means for moving said form, an oven arranged adjacent the surface of the formed material and movable with the form and means forgenerating heat within the oven at a sufliciently high temperature to cause the material to fuse.

6. Apparatus of the character described comprising an artificial movable form for containing fusible earth material, means for moving the form, ovens arranged adjacent surfaces of the formed material and movable with the'form and means for generating heat within the oven at a sufficiently high temperature to cause said Inaterial to fuse into a permanent rigid structure.

7. The method of forming a permanent, rigid, construction from fusible earth which comprises progressively locating and shaping the material in the desired permanent contour maintaining the material undisturbed and while the same is in undisturbed state progressively. applying heat to said material as so formed to completely fuse the same in place into a complete permanent and rigid structure.

8. The method of forming a rigid surfaced trafiicway from fusible natural earth material which method comprises locating the material in its final location, forming the material into the desired contour, providing transverse passageways through the material, maintaining said material with said contour undisturbed applying heat to the upper surface of the material as well as through said passageways to cause the material above the passageways to fuse throughout into a monolithic trafficway, filling said passageways with earth material and gradually cooling I the fused material.

9. The method of forming a rigid surfaced trafficway from fusible, natural earth material, which method comprises locating the material in its final location, forming the material into the desired contour, providing transverse passageways through the tralficway as so formed and underneath the upper surface of the trafficway, applying heat to the upper surface of the material as well as through said passageways to cause the material above the passageways to fuse throughout into" a monolithic trafiicway.

LEE ROY ASHMORE. 

